Premium Highlights of Japan

Konnichiwa! Welcome to Japan. Your adventure begins in Tokyo with a welcome meeting at 6 pm tonight. Bursting with contemporary urban culture, Tokyo has many sides to explore, from fascinating museums and world-class shopping to neighbourhood backstreets lined with hole-in-the-wall eateries and bars. After your meeting tonight, you’ll head out for an included welcome dinner with your new trip leader and fellow travellers.

After breakfast at your hotel, head out for a leader-led walking tour of Asakusa – an area of Tokyo that retains the vibe of older Tokyo, lined with craft shops and street-food stalls. Asakusa’s main attraction is Sensoji Temple and you’ll explore this ancient Buddhist site with your group. Learn about how the oldest temple in the city became independent from the Tendai sect of after World War II, then, head to a non-profit, family-owned dojo. With over 400 years of operation, this dojo is home to contemporary ninjas, and here, you’ll have an authentic look into samurai history and present culture. Learn from a descendant of an original Samurai clan, see and touch real weaponry and try on some traditional costumes. Tonight, cruise down the Sumida River to enjoy some of Tokyo’s best sights from a different perspective. After the cruise, join your group for dinner at a local restaurant.

Head out on a daytrip to Kamakura – a small coastal town known for its historical treasures, sometimes called ‘the Kyoto of Eastern Japan.’ See the sites from a unique mode of transport – a traditional rickshaw. Your knowledgeable driver (there are no wheels on this rickshaw, only your guide’s feet) will tell you all about the local history, the best spots to pick up some regional favourites for lunch and maybe even take you to some secret spots along the way. See the Jufukuji Temple, the Eishoji Temple and Kawakita Film Museum, as well as the giant Buddha at Kotoku-in. After, you’ll switch your guide’s feet for train tracks on a traditional Enoden ride – the electric railway that the Enoden travels on is the sixth-oldest railway in all of Japan! This train will take you through some winding, narrow alleyways that no other train could ride through.

Make the train journey to Yamanouchi – home of the famed snow monkeys who live at the Jigokudani Monkey Park. When you arrive, head to your Feature Stay to settle in – a traditional-style onsen (hot springs and the bathing facilities and inns that surround the springs). Head out on a group hike to the park. This is the only place in the world where monkeys bathe in hot springs! If the season’s right, you can watch the Japanese macaques (snow monkeys) bathing, pruning each other and relaxing in the steaming waters by the mountain. Back at the accommodation, maybe take a quick dip in the onsite hot springs, some overlooking the rolling greens of the mountain surroundings. Tonight, you’ll enjoy a group dinner at your accommodation of seasonal wild plants, fresh local vegetables and natural river fish from the Chikuma River nearby.

Take the train to Kanazawa, known for its well-preserved Edo-era districts, art museums, handicrafts, garden and castle. When you arrive, pick up some lunch, then you’ll visit Kenrokuen Garden – Japan’s most celebrated landscape garden, which began in the 17th century. This park is celebrated for its classic landscape designs that feature ponds and streams, promoting well-being, a clear mind and a connection to nature. After wandering through the garden, you’ll walk by the foot of the former Kanazawa Castle – this historic area was once a residential district for the city’s samurai. Continue exploring in the Higashi Chaya District – a small neighbourhood with teahouses, alleys and lots of shops and restaurants. Maybe ask your leader for recommendations on how to spend the late afternoon.

After breakfast, you’ll continue exploring Kanazawa with a tour of Omicho Market – the hub of the local food culture, famous for its seafood and locally grown produce. With a local guide who has lots of insight into the region, the food and the market, you’ll wind your way through the stalls and learn how to spot the freshest ingredients. Then head back to your guide’s kitchen and learn some tips and tricks on how to cook a traditional Kanazawa meal. After enjoying the lunch you made, set off on an architect-led walking tour for a Premium Experience that will compare traditional and modern machiya (traditional wooden Japanese townhouses) in Kanazawa. Visit a 400-year-old samurai residence and a 100-year-old dye shop, which has been renovated into the modern style. The rest of your afternoon and evening are free to do as you wish.

Today, you’ll leave Kanazawa and head to Kyoto by Shinkansen and the Thunderbird train. Once the capital of Japan, this city in Honshu is famous for its classic Buddhist temples, Shinto shrines, gardens, imperial palaces and traditional architecture. When you arrive, you’ll head to Arashiyama to the west – this area is a nationally designated Historic Site and Place of Scenic Beauty. Explore the Togetsu-kyo Bridge, Tenryu-ji Temple and Kameyama-koen Park on the hilltop. After some time for lunch, take part in a traditional Japanese tea ceremony. Also called ‘Chado’, ‘the way of the tea’ is the traditional and ceremonial preparation and presentation of matcha. Learn how to prepare the tea, then gain hands-on experience by preparing it yourself. Later, head to Gion, the geisha district, filled with shops, restaurants and teahouses. Hostesses in colourful kimonos are often sighted on the Tatsumi Bridge and in the boutiques of Hanamikoji Street.